I'm not surprised that she got top prize, as this challenge was perfect for her. It was a Green Festival challenge that required the use of fresh, natural and local ingredients. That's what she uses to make her cupcakes anyway, along with some superfoods (acai, cacao, etc.), as well.

But, before I actually baked one of her cupcakes, I put my usual Rawdorable spin on the four from the "Cupcake Wars" episode. Here's how I did it.A Rawdorable Takeon a Green Tea ToppedVanilla Cupcake*My version of a Stephanie SparklesVanilla Matcha Raspberry Kiss Cupcake

*1/4 cup "Butterdream" mixed with 1/2 tsp. or 1 tsp. of matcha green tea powder, to taste (you probably won't use that much icing, but it helps to have extra if you plan to pipe it on the cupcake)

*a fresh raspberry and mint leaves for garnish

In a mini food processor or blender, grind the cashews, coconut flakes and almonds/almond pulp into a flour-like consistency, and transfer the "flour" to a bowl.Next, add the date paste, apple cider vinegar, vanilla and sea salt. Whisk to combine (a whisk helps keep the "batter" fluffier). The batter should be moist, but not so damp that it requires "baking" in a dehydrator (although you could if you desire).

Form the batter into a cupcake shape, using a reusable silicone liner (this pink one is shaped like a butterfly), small ramekin or tea cup (you can also form the batter into 2 or 3 mini cupcakes). Frost the cupcake(s) with "Butterdream" icing mixed with matcha green tea powder to taste (I piped mine on for a more professional look). Then, garnish with a fresh raspberry and mint leaves. Enjoy!

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A Rawdorable Takeon a Sweet Pepper,Corn & Sage Cupcake*My version of a Stephanie SparklesSweet Pepper Corn with Creamy Sage Cupcake

1/2 cup almonds

1 Tbsp. fresh or frozen corn kernels (if frozen, thaw first and use a towel to absorb the excess moisture)

1/2 Tbsp. finely chopped red bell pepper

1/2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

1 Tbsp. date paste

1/4 tsp. raw organic apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

dash of sea salt

cayenne pepper, to taste

*1/4 cup "Butterdream" mixed with about three fresh sage leaves, finely chopped (you probably won't use that much icing, but it helps to have extra if you plan to pipe it on the cupcake)

*a slice or two of red bell pepper, sprig of parsley and a few fresh corn kernels for garnish

In a mini food processor or blender, grind the almonds, corn, red pepper and parsley into a flour-like consistency (you can also substitute some of the almonds for leftover nut pulp from making nutmilk to result in a lighter cake texture), and transfer the "flour" to a bowl.Next, add the date paste, apple cider vinegar, vanilla, sea salt and cayenne pepper. Whisk to combine (a whisk helps keep the "batter" fluffier). The batter should be moist, but not so damp that it requires "baking" in a dehydrator (although you could if you desire).

Form the batter into a cupcake shape, using a reusable silicone liner (this red one is shaped like a lady bug) or small ramekin (you can also form the batter into 2 or 3 mini cupcakes). Frost the cupcake(s) with "Butterdream" icing mixed with fresh finely chopped sage leaves. Then, garnish with fresh bell pepper slices (I arranged mine to look like a heart), parsley and some corn kernels. Yum!

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A Rawdorable Takeon a Lavender& Orange Cupcake*My version of a Stephanie SparklesLavender Tangerine Dream Cupcake

1/2 cup almonds

1 Tbsp. coconut flakes

1/2 Tbsp. orange zest

1 tsp. poppy seeds

1 Tbsp. date paste

1/4 tsp. raw organic apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

dash of sea salt

*1/4 cup "Butterdream" mixed with 1 Tbsp. freeze-dried blueberries, finely ground, and a hint of lavender extract (you probably won't use that much icing, but it helps to have extra if you plan to pipe it on the cupcake)

*a slice of orange, tangerine or clementine for garnish, along with some extra poppy seeds for sprinkling

In a mini food processor or blender, grind the almonds (you can also substitute some of the almonds for leftover nut pulp from making nutmilk to result in a lighter cake texture; I used about a 50:50 ratio), coconut flakes and orange zest into a flour-like consistency, and transfer the "flour" to a bowl. Gently stir in the poppy seeds.Next, add the date paste, apple cider vinegar, vanilla and sea salt. Whisk to combine (a whisk helps keep the "batter" fluffier). The batter should be moist, but not so damp that it requires "baking" in a dehydrator (although you could if you desire).

Form the batter into a cupcake shape, using a reusable silicone liner (this yellow one is shaped like a bee) or small ramekin (you can also form the batter into 2 or 3 mini cupcakes). Frost the cupcake(s) with "Butterdream" icing mixed with finely ground freeze-dried blueberries (Stephanie's original recipe did not have blueberries in it, but I couldn't resist adding them to go along with the orange cake) and a hint of lavender extract. Then, garnish with a citrus slice and a sprinkling of poppy seeds. Pretty!

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A Rawdorable Takeon a Cacao Spice Cupcake*My version of a Stephanie SparklesMayan Spice Cupcake

1/4 cup almonds

1/8 cup almond pulp (leftover from making fresh almond milk) or more almonds

*1/4 cup "Butterdream" mixed with 1 Tbsp. raw cocoa powder (you probably won't use that much icing, but it helps to have extra if you plan to pipe it on the cupcake)

*a sprinkling of cacao nibs and an edible flower for garnish (I didn't have any edible flowers to put on top of mine, so since I wasn't giving it to someone who would eat it by mistake, I put a shamrock with flower on top for St. Patrick's Day; it's coming up, BTW)

In a mini food processor or blender, grind the almonds, cashews and cocoa powder into a flour-like consistency, and transfer the "flour" to a bowl.Next, add the date paste, "butterdream," apple cider vinegar, vanilla, sea salt, cinnamon and cayenne. Whisk to combine (a whisk helps keep the "batter" fluffier). The batter should be moist, but not so damp that it requires "baking" in a dehydrator (although you could if you desire).

Form the batter into a cupcake shape, using a reusable silicone liner (this green one is shaped like a frog) or small ramekin (you can also form the batter into 2 or 3 mini cupcakes). Frost the cupcake(s) with "Butterdream" icing mixed with raw cocoa powder. Then, garnish with a sprinkling of cacao nibs and an edible flower. Lovely!

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Oh, and if all goes well, I should be posting a Q&A with Stephanie Sparkles in the future. I think she seems like a lot of fun and worth getting to know a bit. Fingers crossed that she has time to answer my questions :-)

On another note, I had some extra raspberries left after garnishing the Green Tea Topped Vanilla Cupcake. To make them even more special I popped some chocolate chips in the centers, which was an idea I found on Lauren Conrad's site. She linked to Beloved Green, where she found them, who gave Saucy Sprinkles credit for the idea. Who knows who really did it first, but I love the idea <3

~*~*~

More "Cupcake Wars" related posts:

"A Modern Twist" (The second part of the post lists my ideas for the Girl Scout episode of the show)

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Disclaimer: This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The author is not a medical doctor or trained nutritionist and is not responsible for any consequences regarding your use or intended use of any information provided on this site. Always check with your medical professional or trained nutritionist before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle regarding your health.